The British and Irish Lions could have a clean bill of health heading into next Saturday’s first Test against world champions South Africa but Ireland full-back Rob Kearney will be unavailable for Tuesday’s game against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth.

Kearney suffered a dead leg during the 26-23 victory over Western Province yesterday, but he is expected to regain full fitness in the next few days.

Scotland scrumhalf Mike Blair, meanwhile, faces a late test on his ankle to determine whether or not he will be ready for Port Elizabeth.

But Lions doctor Gary O’Driscoll has delivered an upbeat overall assessment as the tourists hurtle headlong towards the business end of their 10-match trip.

“Rob Kearney took a knee straight into his left thigh that has given him a dead leg. It was the sensible thing to take him off,” said O’Driscoll. “He has a full range of movement in the thigh today, and the initial signs are he should be available for later in the week.

“Mike Blair has a very mild sprain. The coaching staff have given us until Tuesday morning to do a final fitness test, so there is every chance he will be available for then.”

O’Driscoll also played down any concerns surrounding Blair’s fellow squad scrum-halves Harry Ellis and Mike Phillips.

England international Ellis has a mild chest infection, while Test number nine favourite Phillips has been suffering from bruising and stiffness in his lower back.

“We’ve screened all three scrum-halves and subsequently had a meeeting with the coaches,” added O’Driscoll. “From our point of view, there is not a single one of them (scrum-half) that we wouldn’t be happy to say will be available for the weekend.

“With regard to the Test match, we would be very confident the scrum-halves would be fit and ready.”

Lock Nathan Hines (calf muscle) and flanker Martyn Williams (stitches in his knee) are also viewed as not being fitness concerns.

Number eight Andy Powell, meanwhile, will continue to play through the pain barrier after suffering what O’Driscoll termed “a tiny little crush fracture” in his hand earlier on the tour.

“Andy Powell had an X-ray that showed nothing, and an MRI scan showed virtually nothing,” said O’Driscoll. “A specific CT scan then found a tiny little crush fracture at the base of his second bone in his hand.

“It is a fracture that does not cause any significant problems. It is the sort of thing many players play on with — it isn’t a risk or anything dangerous.”

Stephen Ferris and Leigh Halfpenny, who are both nursing tour-ending injuries, look set to fly home during the next couple of days, joining Wales captain Ryan Jones in making a premature exit.

Jones joined the Lions last Thursday as replacement for Ferris — but he was ruled out of the trip barely 24 hours later.

O’Driscoll added: “I am not sure anyone messed up. There was a miscommunication at some stage.

“We were aware Ryan had gone off in the second Test (Wales versus USA), and the initial information given to us as a medical team was that he had a neck sprain. We felt quite happy with it.

“What became apparent, as Ryan was in the air, was the injury wasn’t a neck injury and that it had been a concussion.”